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How to write a bid with AI

Written by
Andrew Martin
Andrew Martin
Updated on
  10 min read
invitation to tenders

Creating quality proposals under tight deadlines puts immense pressure on bid teams. AI can help by handling time-consuming tasks and improving response quality, which gives teams more time to focus on strategy and client needs. Whether you’re writing one proposal or managing dozens, AI makes the process simpler and more effective.

In this guide, we’ll explore the role of AI in bid writing and how you can use AI tools to achieve greater success.

Table of Contents

Ways AI helps you write bids

Increasing pressure to create more high-quality responses in less time is an increasingly common challenge facing today’s proposal teams. Balancing speed with quality can feel overwhelming, but AI tools help solve this challenge by taking on repetitive tasks, improving content quality, and giving teams more time for strategic work.

Here are some of the key ways AI is making proposal teams more effective:

Speedy auto-response generation

AI makes every part of bid writing more efficient by taking care of monotonous tasks that slow down proposal teams. For example, Draft AI produces comprehensive first drafts within minutes, which means your team can invest their energy in refining responses and building strategies that connect with each client’s specific needs. This shift in focus leads to higher-quality proposals and better results.

Effective content management

A software-managed RFP Content Library brings simplicity to managing proposal content by giving teams quick access to approved, current information. This central source helps maintain accuracy and consistency in every proposal your organization submits. Regular updates to the Content Library mean your team always works with the most effective content.

Optimized workflows

When it comes to keeping projects on track, AI also excels at coordinating assignments and identifying potential delays before they cause problems. This improved workflow coordination leads to better collaboration between team members and makes the best use of everyone’s time and skills. The automated task management gives proposal managers more time to guide strategy and support their teams.

Data-driven decision-making

Requirements Analysis helps teams determine when an RFP matches their organization’s strengths and capabilities. This evaluation process considers multiple factors to show which opportunities offer the highest chance of success. By focusing on well-matched opportunities, teams increase their win rates while making better use of limited resources.

Strategic insights

AI studies your successful proposals to identify effective approaches and provide practical recommendations for improvement. These insights help teams adapt their strategies based on real results rather than guesswork which in turn gives you back time to think more creatively and engage with your customers and prospects. The continuous learning process keeps proposals competitive even as client expectations and market conditions change.

For a deeper dive, explore 5 ways AI can help you write proposals.

How to write a bid using AI

In just five simple steps, professionals can create winning proposals that blend AI efficiency with human expertise.

Our proven approach helps response teams streamline their process while maintaining quality and consistency throughout proposal development. With tools like AI Assistant and Profile Center supporting your workflow, you’ll spend less time writing initial drafts and more time perfecting strategic responses.

Here’s how to get started with your next proposal:

Step 1: Define objectives and gather data

Every successful proposal starts with clear objectives and comprehensive information gathering.

Profile Center, for example, simplifies this process by centralizing your company details and making them readily available. Having accurate information organized at the start prevents delays and inconsistencies throughout the proposal development process.

Step 2: Choose and configure your tools

Setting up your RFP software platform correctly ensures it aligns with how your team works and thinks. While this initial stage requires thoughtful planning, investing time upfront pays significant dividends through more efficient workflows and better AI-generated content that truly reflects your organization’s voice.

To support this process, the Responsive Professional Services team offers tailored setup and onboarding assistance. This team of experts helps to configure everything from custom workflows to brand guidelines, ensuring you get the most value from your investment. This strategic partnership sets the foundation for smooth adoption and sustained success.

Taking time to properly configure your tools with all relevant stakeholders creates a strong foundation that empowers better first drafts and streamlines the entire response process. What might seem like extra effort during setup quickly transforms into time saved on every future proposal.

Step 3: Input data and parameters

Clear inputs lead to better outputs when working with AI tools.

Providing specific details about project goals, deadlines, and client priorities helps the AI create more relevant content. Teams that invest time in giving quality inputs see significantly better results in their AI-generated drafts.

Step 4: Generate initial response content

Software such as Draft AI creates initial proposals using your organization’s approved content and best practices.

The AI draws from past successful proposals to produce clear, consistent responses. This automated first draft gives your team a solid foundation to build upon while saving hours of manual writing time.

Step 5: Customize and enhance

Your team’s knowledge and insight turn good drafts into winning proposals.

The fifth and final step involves applying your understanding of the client’s needs, competitive landscape, and unique value proposition. This nuanced human touch ensures each proposal speaks directly to evaluator concerns and demonstrates clear value.

Advantages of purpose-built AI tools for bids

Purpose-built AI tools are creating real, measurable advantages for proposal teams. Organizations using these specialized tools consistently report higher win rates, better quality control, and significant time savings in their RFP responses. The 2024 State of Strategic Response Management Report reveals exactly how teams are achieving these improvements, with data showing concrete gains in both efficiency and effectiveness.

Let’s examine three key advantages that make AI tools essential for modern proposal teams:

Enhanced insights leading to higher win rates

Organizations using AI see higher win rates because of their ability to evaluate and refine responses, increasing the likelihood of success and because their proposals consistently include proven approaches backed by data analysis.

Improved bid quality

AI maintains consistency across all types of responses your organization creates. Each proposal reflects your latest messaging and best practices, reducing errors and outdated information. This consistency builds familiarity and credibility with evaluators who may see multiple proposals from your organization.

Additionally, the Content Library takes your winning responses and makes them work harder for you. By storing past successful question-and-answer pairs, your team can tap into proven, successful material for future proposals. This means every new bid benefits from your past wins while staying true to your organization’s voice and standards.

Faster response times coupled with scalability

Teams using AI maintain a clear advantage while both pursuing more opportunities and maintaining high standards. The proposal process moves faster without sacrificing quality, thanks to automated first drafts and improved workflows. Even with tight turnaround times, these teams keep their accuracy high through quick access to approved content and auto-quality checks.

Teams that fail to adopt AI risk inefficiencies, reduced competitiveness, and lost opportunities. Learn more in Understanding AI RFP Software.

AI technology used in bid writing

AI brings several powerful capabilities to the proposal process. By using a combination of advanced technologies — from data analysis to natural language processing — teams create better proposals in less time.

Here’s how each technology contributes to smarter, more efficient bid writing:

Data analytics

Data analytics is used in modern bid-writing to reveal concrete patterns in winning proposals that teams can apply to future bids. This analysis considers factors like answer length, content organization, and key themes that correlate with success. Teams use these insights to make strategic improvements to their proposal approach.

Foundational AI models

The AI platform processes RFP requirements with precision, ensuring responses align with evaluation criteria. This careful analysis catches details human readers might miss during initial review. The AI flagging system helps teams address all requirements completely.

Natural language processing (NLP)

This technology identifies important evaluation criteria that might affect win probability. Based on its understanding of both the question and your available response options, it will suggest relevant content and generate responses that align with evaluators’ expectations. NLP helps teams interpret complex RFP questions and requirements accurately.

Generative AI

Generative AI, like Draft AI, creates quality first drafts using sophisticated language processing. It analyzes your past successful proposals to understand what works best for different types of questions and requirements. This technology saves teams from starting each proposal from scratch.

Responsive goes beyond Generative AI, too, by integrating advanced tools like its Content Library and built-in prompts for refining tone, style, and length. These processes further improve response quality by ensuring content aligns with organizational standards and incorporates evaluator preferences — Read more in Going Beyond Generative AI for RFPs, Proposals, and Bids.

Available AI bidding tools

Modern proposal teams need the right tools to succeed. The following Responsive tools reduce manual work and accelerate your response process. Each specialized AI tool serves a specific purpose, working together to free your team from repetitive tasks so you can concentrate on the more strategic, creative, and relationship-building aspects of your work.

Let’s review how each of these powerful tools can enhance your proposal strategy and strengthen your client relationships:

Draft AI

Draft AI develops comprehensive first drafts that give teams a strong starting point, letting them focus energy on strategy and client-specific details. The automated drafting process reduces the time spent on initial writing while maintaining quality standards.

Requirements Analysis

Requirements Analysis evaluates opportunities based on multiple factors to determine fit with your capabilities. This assessment helps teams understand which bids they’re most likely to win before investing significant resources. The tool provides objective data to support strategic bid decisions.

Profile Center

Profile Center creates a reliable foundation for proposals by organizing company information effectively. This central repository ensures teams always access current, accurate details about capabilities, experience, and past performance. Regular updates to the Profile Center maintain data quality across all proposals.

Ask

Ask simplifies the process of gathering expert knowledge from across your organization. Subject matter experts contribute directly through structured workflows that keep projects on schedule. This direct input method improves technical accuracy while reducing review cycles.

Ask also gives your entire team instant access to verified answers, complete with source links. This means less time waiting for subject matter experts to respond and more time focusing on strategic work. Your team can quickly find the information they need, right when they need it.

Practical tips for using AI in bid writing

While it’s true we stand at the relative dawn of AI, unlocking its full potential in bid writing doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. No matter where you are in your AI journey, we’ve gathered five proven strategies to help you create more compelling bids in less time.

Keeping these practical tips in mind will help your team work smarter with AI while maintaining the personal touch that sets your proposals apart:

Tip 1: Organize your content

The Content Library serves as your organization’s memory for proposal content. Teams should regularly review and update stored information to maintain its value for future proposals.

A well-maintained Content Library helps your AI tools generate more accurate and relevant drafts.

Tip 2: Choose strategic opportunities

Requirements Analysis provides data-driven insights about which opportunities match your strengths so leverage this power by performing Bid/No Bid analysis in order to focus time, energy, and money. Teams should establish clear evaluation criteria that reflect your organization’s goals and capabilities.

This systematic approach will lead to better resource allocation and improved win rates.

Tip 3: Streamline workflows

Automated task management keeps proposal development moving smoothly through each stage. Clear process definitions help AI tools assign work and track progress effectively. Regular workflow reviews ensure the system continues meeting team needs.

Tip 4: Regularly update AI models

Teams need to regularly update their stored information with new successes and best practices. Fresh examples help AI generate more relevant drafts that reflect your current capabilities. Consistent updates to your content also help your organization take advantage of new AI features as they become available.

Tip 5: Enhance AI output like only humans can

Your team’s expertise adds essential context and customization to AI-generated content. Each client has specific needs and concerns that require personal attention beyond automated drafts. The combination of AI efficiency and human insight creates proposals that stand out.

The necessity of human expertise

AI excels at creating first drafts and managing routine tasks, but the real magic happens when it’s combined with your team’s expertise. Every winning proposal reflects a blend of efficient technology and irreplaceable human insight. From understanding subtle client needs to crafting compelling narratives, your team brings critical skills that AI simply can’t match.

Here’s why the human element continues to be indispensable in four key areas:

Strategic thinking

Humans understand client motivations and industry context in ways AI cannot replicate. Your team members draw from years of experience to identify what matters most to each evaluator. This strategic insight shapes proposals that address both stated and unstated client needs.

Personal touch

Proposal teams know the nuances of adjusting content for specific situations and audiences. They understand when standard responses need modification to address unique circumstances. Their expertise ensures proposals feel authentic rather than generic.

Quality control

Human reviewers catch subtleties that affect proposal quality and compliance. They understand the impact of word choice and presentation on how evaluators perceive responses. Their attention to detail maintains professional standards throughout each document.

Relationship focus

People create genuine connections with clients through relevant examples and shared understanding. They recognize opportunities to highlight past successes that resonate with current needs. This relationship-based approach builds credibility and trust.

The takeaway here: AI complements your expertise — it doesn’t replace it.

Choose the right tools for better proposals

The Responsive Platform combines AI capabilities with practical features that improve every aspect of proposal creation.

Tools like Draft AI, Requirements Analysis, Profile Center, and Ask help teams produce quality proposals efficiently. These integrated solutions give organizations everything needed to create winning bids.

Ready to improve your proposal process? Request a demo or learn more about AI insights from industry experts.